Line splices and analogous connectors



Jan. 15, 1963 L. JUGLE ETAL LINE SPLICES AND ANALOGOUS CONNECTORS FiledAug. 7, 1961 /velz for-5.'

United States Patent Oiice 3,072,989 Patented Jan. 15, 1963 3,072,989LINE SPLICES AND ANALOGOUS CONNECTORS Leonard L. Jugle, Elmhurst, DonaldJ. Smith, Sleepy Hollow Manor, and James J. Saul, La Grange Park, Ill.,assignors to Reliable Electric Company, Franklin Park, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 129,813 7 Claims.(Cl. 24-126) The present invention relates to improvements in line lsplices of the general type shown in Fotsch Patent No.

2,138,913, granted December 6, 1938, and to analogous types ofconnectors.

This type of line splice comprises a shell which is tapered at bothends, and which contains within tit a tapered jaw assembly at each end.The ends of the two wires to be spliced are inserted in each end of theshell, and the tension on the wires, in cooperation with the coaction ofthe tapered parts, causes the jaw assembly to firmly grip the cable.

ln replacing a section of power line, the new section is connected tothe old section by such a line splice. The length of the new sectiondepends on the tension desired', however, it is very difficult todetermine the exact length by calculation. In practice, the new sectionis cut suiciently longer than the estimated length to permit theadjustment of length and tension by cut and try. This is a laboriousprocess.

llt is an object of our invention to provide an improved line splice orother connector which permits the wire to be tensioned after the splicehas been installed.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved line splicewhich permits one to adjust the tension of the spliced span from time totime, even though the original installation was made long prior to thetime of the desired adjustments.

Another object is to provide an improved splice which permits a tap tobe made at the splicing point.

Our invention is also applicable to splices or connectors which connecta wire to a rigid tension member such as a rod. According to this aspectof the invention, it is possible to provide a connector which issuitable for anchoring guy wires or for deadending conductors and whichis characterized by simplicity of construction and by low manufacturingcosts due to the fact that no clevis or bale is required. The tensionadjusting arrangement shown herein maintains the cable and the anchorelement in axially aligned arrangement in the same manner that a linesplice does.

Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

With reference now to the drawings in which like reference numeralsdesignate like parts:

' FIG. l is a side elevation showing a preferred embodiment of ourinvention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. l, and also showing thewire;

IFIG. 3 is a transverse section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, with thewire omitted;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along line 4 4' of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a View similar to FIG. 2 but showing a moditied form of ourinvention.

In FIGS. l and 2, the reference numeral designates aline splice whichmechanically and electrically connects same reference numerals areapplied to the identical parts of each, but only the left hand jawassembly 15 will be described in detail.

The jaw assembly 15 comprises a plurality of tapered jaw elements 16which are associated with each other at one end by a connecting washer17. There are preferably three jaw elements to the jaw assembly, and thejaw elements are provided with suitable Wire gripping surfaces. Whentension is applied to the wire 11, the jaw assembly 15 moves outwardlyto the left, and the taper of each jaw element cooperates with the taper14 of the inner surface of the shell to urge the jaw elements 16 intogripping engagement with the wire 11. The washer 17 provides means formaintaining the relative longitudinal positions of the jaws withoutinterfering with their radial movement.

The jaw assembly 15 is urged to the left and into contracted position bymeans of a coil spring 18 which is confined between the rear end of thejaw assembly 15 and a suitable spring abutment 20 in the form of a ring.The ring 20 is secured in place by staking, as evidenced by thedepressions 21.

A bearing cup 19 may be interposed between the spring 18 and the jawassembly 15 so that the end of the spring` 15 is in the form of a disc22 which is also staked in position by the depressions 23.

The spring abutments 20 and 22 are spaced from each other by asubstantial distance to provide a chamber 24 which occupies the middleportion of the line splice 16.

An opening 25 is formed in the wall portion 26 of the shell 13, and atongue 27 extends diagonally across the chamber 24 so that its free endterminates adjacent the opposite wall portion 28. Preferably, theopening 25 and tongue 27 are formed by a stamping operation, the tongue27 being stamped out of the material of the wall portion 26. The tongue27, thus forms a ramp which will deflect the end of the wire 11 as it ispushed through the jaw assembly 15 and through the opening in theringshaped spring abutment 20. Thus, the end of the wire 11 is broughtout of the line splice 10 at about the midpoint of the splice to providea free end portion 30. The tongue 27 is preferably of convex crosssection as indicated by the reference numeral 29 in FIG. 3 so that itwill guide the wire 11 through the opening 25.

The spring abutment 22 is in the form of a solid disc so that the end ofthe wire 12will not pass into the chamber 24, thus avoiding interferenceor tangling between the two wires 10 and 11.

The advantage of this arrangement is that when splicing the wire 11 tothe wire 12, the wire 11 can be cut somewhat longer than tentativelycalculated length so that after the two wires have been spliced, thetension can be increased by grasping the free end portion 30 and pullingit through the jaw assembly 15 until the required tension is obtained.Then any excess length in the projecting free end portion 30 may be cutoff.

However, it may be desirable to leave a free end por-tion 30 ofsubstantial length so that the tension of the span can be relaxed, ifnecessary, at some future time. Furthermore, the free end portion 30 canbe used to make tap connections to the power line 11-12.

FIG. 5 shows a modified device 31 which is suitable for making a spliceconnection between two tension members, one of which is a flexibletension member, such as wire 39, and the other one of which is a rigidtension member, such as an anchor rod 37.

The connector 31 comprises a shell 32 which is provided with one taperedend portion 33, and a straight end portion 34. The middle portion of theshell is provided with an opening 35 and a tongue 36 which are Ithe same3 as the opening 25 and tongue 27 of the line splice 10. In other words,the left hand portion of the connector 31 is identical to the left handportion of the line splice 10, including the jaw assembly and the springbiasing means therefor.

The right hand end, however, is diterent in that it is constructed so asto receive or interlock with an anchor bolt V37. As shown in FIG. 5, thestraight end 34 is swaged inwardly, as evidenced by the reduced outerdiameter in order to provide internal screw threads 38. In operation,the connector 31 may iirst be screwed onto the lthreaded end of theanchor bolt 37, and then the wire 39 is pushed through the tapered endportion 33 so that the end of the wire 39`extends outwardly through theopening 35 to provide a free end portion 40, in the same manner asdescribed in connection with the line splice 10. The free end portion 40permits adjustment of tension'after installation.

The connector 31 thus described is suitable for anchoring guywires andthe like, or may be used for dead-ending an electrical conductor, theanchor bolt 37 being connected to a suitable insulator. When used inkconnection with electrical conductors, the free end portion 40 can alsobe used for tap connections.

A screw threaded mandrel (notshown) is inserted in the tubular endportion 34, and the latter is reduction swaged around the mandreltopprovide a thickened internally threaded portion which provides anextremely strong screw threaded part. After swaging, the mandrel isremoved by unscrcwingthe same.

The increased thickness and the partial work hardening resulting fromthe swaging enable us to fabricate from copper or aluminum alloy aconnector Whichis capable of withstanding the high tensile stressesencountered in power line and guy wire work.

Although only preferred embodiments of our invention have been shown anddescribed herein it will be understood that various modifications andchanges may be made in the constructions shown without departing fromthe spirit of 'the invention as Apointed out by the appended claims.

lWe claim:

l. In a line splice having a shell and two tapered jaw assemblieslocated in said shell, said shell being 'tapered at itsopposite ends forcooperation with said jaw assemblies, the combination of a separatespring abutment for each tapered jaw assembly, a spring confined betweeneach spring abutment and its corresponding jaw assembly, said springabutmen-ts being spaced from each othery to provide a chambertherebetween, and there being an .opening in the side wall of said shelllocated at a point between said spring abutments, one of said springabutments being in the form'of a ring, so that the end of a wire whichis received within one of said tapered end por-tions will pass throughsaid ring shaped spring abutment into said chamber and can be broughtout of said shell through said opening to provide a free end portion tofacilitate adjustment of the tension of said wire, and a delector memberextending diagonally across said chamber and providing for saidwire aguide whichvextends substantially from said ring shaped spring abutmentto the remote side of said opening.

2. A line splice as claimed in claim 1 in which said deiiector member isin the form of a tongue stamped from the material of the side wall ofsaid shell.

3. A line splice as claimed in claim 1 in which said deector member isconcave in cross section.

4. A line splice as claimed in claim 1 in which the other one oflsaidspring abutinents is a disc.

' 5. A connector device comprising a hollow shell, one end of which is atapered end portion, there being an opening in the side wall of saidshell at an intermediate point so that the end of a Wire which isreceived within said tapered end portion can be brought out of saidshell through said opening, a tapered jaw assembly located Within saidtapered end portion and adapted to engage said Wire in grippingrelationship, said tapered jaw assembly and the inner wall of saidtapered end portion cooperating with each other to cause said jawassembly to provide a iirm gripping engagement when said wire istensioned, a ring shaped spring abutment mounted within said shellrearwardly of said tapered jaw assembly, a spring confined between saidspring abutment and said tapered jaw assembly, and a dellector memberlocated rearwardly of said spring -abutment and extending diagonallyacross said shell and providing for said wire a guide which extendssubstantially from said ring shaped rabutment to a side of said opening.

6. A connector device as claimed in cla-im 5 in which the other end ofsaid shell is of cylindrical shape and is internally threaded forcooperation with the threaded end of a tension member.

7. In a connector having a shell and at least one tapered jaw lassemblylocated in saidshell, said shell being tapered at at least one end forcooperation with said jaw assembly, the combination of an annular springabutment for said tapered jaw assembly, a spring conned between saidannular spring abutment and said jaw assembly, there being an elongateopening in the side wall of said shell located at a point between saidspring abutment andthe remote end of said shell, and a tongue extend-ingfrom the remote edge of said opening inwardly into said shell and towardsaid spring abutment, so that the end of a wire which is received withinsaid tapered end portion will pass through said Iannular spring abutmentand can be brought out of said shell through said opening to pro vide afree end portion to facilitate adjustment of the tension of said wire.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN A LINE SPLICE HAVING A SHELL AND TWO TAPERED JAW ASSEMBLIESLOCATED IN SAID SHELL, SAID SHELL BEING TAPERED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS FORCOOPERATION WITH SAID JAW ASSEMBLIES, THE COMBINATION OF A SEPARATESPRING ABUTMENT FOR EACH TAPERED JAW ASSEMBLY, A SPRING CONFINED BETWEENEACH SPRING ABUTMENT AND ITS CORRESPONDING JAW ASSEMBLY, SAID SPRINGABUTMENTS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER TO PROVIDE A CHAMBERTHEREBETWEEN, AND THERE BEING AN OPENING IN THE SIDE WALL OF SAID SHELLLOCATED AT A POINT BETWEEN SAID SPRING ABUTMENTS, ONE OF SAID SPRINGABUTMENTS BEING IN THE FORM OF A RING, SO THAT THE END OF A WIRE WHICHIS RECEIVED WITHIN ONE OF SAID TAPERED END PORTIONS WILL PASS THROUGHSAID RING SHAPED SPRING ABUTMENT INTO SAID CHAMBER AND CAN BE BROUGHTOUT OF SAID SHELL THROUGH SAID OPENING TO PROVIDE A FREE END PORTION TOFACILITATE ADJUSTMENT OF THE TENSION OF SAID WIRE, AND A DEFLECTORMEMBER EXTENDING DIAGONALLY ACROSS SAID CHAMBER AND PROVIDING FOR SAIDWIRE A GUIDE WHICH EXTENDS SUBSTANTIALLY FROM SAID RING SHAPED SPRINGABUTMENT TO THE REMOTE SIDE OF SAID OPENING.